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One of the main traits of black-hat marketing lies in the fact that they prefer to exploit loopholes in the system in order to give one a competitive edge. The problem with this method lies in the fact that these techniques only work until the next patch, after which they become completely void. So, in order to future-proof your marketing and avoid the need to reinvent your entire digital marketing strategy after every algorithm update, you need to take the path of the white-hat. Here are several tips on how to do this most effectively.

1. Quality content

The first thing you need to recognize is the fact that quality content brings you leads, followers and promotion. This is why one of your first decisions should be to make a blog and fill it with the above-mentioned quality content. If people like your content, they’ll use it as a reference in their article which will generate backlinks. People on social media are going to share it and it will drastically increase your reach. Aside from this, quality content will make people come back for more, which means that they’ll turn into return visitors, perhaps even return customers, at one point.

2. SEO

The next thing you need to understand is the fact that the visibility of your website and your content affects its maximum potential reach at any moment. In fact, about 95 percent of all searches end on the first page, while about 33 percent of people click on the first link that pops up. This is why you have to get to the top. This boost in your website’s SEO comes in two parts, on-site and off-site optimization. While it’s preferable to hire an expert to deal with your SEO, you would be surprised at just how much you can achieve through do it yourself SEO, provided that you have the right platform on your side.

3. Become active on social networks

It’s completely natural for your business to be represented on social networks in 2018, however, in order to achieve your goals, you need to be as active as possible. Try posting something every day, even if it’s not original content. This will remind your vast audience that you’re still out there. Remember, your competitors won’t just sit idly, which is why you shouldn’t do this either. It would also be smart to do some research on the optimal posting time on various networks so that you get the maximum out of your online activity. The reason why this method will stand the test of time is due to the fact that social media only grow in prominence and influence with each passing day.

4. Share other people’s work

You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours; this is one of the oldest rules of the business world. It transferred pretty well into the digital environment, as well. This is also what makes it so ideal for our list, seeing as how no matter what change happens in Google’s algorithm, the good old tit for tat strategy is bound to work. Nowadays, you can do this effortlessly by promoting other people’s content, commenting on them and promoting their business, in general. Fortunately, this method also transfers well into most other types of digital marketing, as well.

5. Google local business

Another trend that we see, which is bound to pick up its pace in the future is one of the local registries. People looking for a local business are more likely to turn towards a platform like Yelp or at least look for an answer in the Google Local Business directory. There are other such lists that you need to get your website and business on, so don’t hesitate to look for them on your own.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, in order to understand the direction that you should take, you need to understand goals and objectives and Google as a company. Their main goal, since the very beginning, is a better user experience, which means that every time you take a step in this direction, you’re aligning your website with their agenda. This inevitably leads to future-proofing of your business. It really is that simple.

The omnipresence of internet has sparked a lot of debates about the traditional media, making us wonder: Are the newspaper dead? Is there no more need for the printed books? And finally, did digital marketing defeat the traditional forms of advertising? It makes sense, advertising your product on the web is free or costs next to nothing and it gives you a chance to have a more personalized approach to marketing. However, that doesn’t have to mean that the old-school marketing doesn’t have anything to offer any more. In this article, we will try to determine the difference between the two, the benefits of each of them, and the possibilities of combining the two.

What is traditional marketing?

There are many methods of traditional marketing, and they include tangible advertisements, such as posters, brochures, flyers, business cards and print ads in magazines and newspaper. Commercials on radio and TV are also considered a form of traditional marketing. Additionally, promotional products, referrals, and reward programs can also be classified into this group.

What is digital marketing?

It is difficult to precisely define digital marketing since it grows and develops each day with the advancements of technology. Some examples of this new way of marketing are social media mentions (page, posts, games, etc.), websites, YouTube videos, blogging, as well as search engine optimization and banner ads. Digital marketing is currently more popular because it requires fewer investments.

The good sides of the old-school

Traditional marketing is still something that people are accustomed to, and that’s why they can easily understand and relate to it. This old-school marketing method enables businesses to reach a local audience with ease. Besides, the promotional materials can be kept for future reference, so you don’t have to google for company info every time you want to make a call.

The bad sides of the old-school

One of the primary flaws of the traditional marketing is that there is not enough interaction between the customers and the used medium. The medium is used merely to provide information without asking for feedback. Also, as we have already mentioned, these marketing materials can be very costly. And finally, it is very difficult, not to say virtually impossible, to measure the results of a marketing strategy which employs traditional marketing approach.

The good sides of the new kid in the block

Digital marketing allows you to target an international audience, as well as to tailor your campaign to specific properties, such as age, gender, location and interest. The audience has a say in receiving the product and they can also provide a meaningful feedback. It is cost-effective and the competition is less relentless. Above all, the results are immediately measurable.

The bad sides of the new kid in the block

Even though it seems like a DIY arena, digital marketing can fool you into thinking you can do everything on your own. However, given that online marketing includes a multitude of fields and potential strategies, that is virtually impossible. Fortunately, there are plenty of experienced expert companies, such as The Pipeline, to which you can outsource your marketing sector, at least until you get the hang of it.

Can they work together

In spite of being completely different, you shouldn’t be exclusive when it comes to these two methods of marketing; rather, always try to combine them. Since this is a mostly digital-based world, it makes sense to invest more in an online marketing campaign and use hard copy materials to support your online efforts or reach an audience which is not very tech-savvy (e.g. senior citizens). Also, there is one twist on the traditional marketing which rose in the ‘80s, but reached its true potential only today, and that is guerrilla marketing. Some of the biggest successes include UNICEF’s “Be a mom for a moment” campaign, IKEA’s “Everyday Fabulous” and The Sopranos taxi stunt.

There is no doubt that the world is changing and that we need to try to catch up. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we will renounce everything we are used to. We don’t have to abandon the principles from the past, they just need to evolve and be complemented with innovative methods.

Nowadays, everyone does some digital marketing and for most companies, this is something they gladly outsource for any number of reasons. And while most people will be careful when choosing their outsourced digital marketing partners, this does not ensure that they will continue to provide fantastic service, even if their pitch was phenomenal.

Because of this, it is crucial that you take stock of what they have done and what they have been doing for you, simply to make sure they are doing enough. Often times, you will find out that your agency may have missed out on a current trend that is providing great results for other companies and you will want to ensure they provide you with this kind of service too.

But, we are getting ahead of ourselves.

Getting the Basics In Order

The first step in making sure your outsourced digital marketing partners are handling your account the right way is to track the results that they have achieved and how this has affected your company.

In order to do this, you will want to establish clear KPIs and then track how the digital marketing efforts are helping you hit those targets. For example, you might want to increase the visits to your website by 25% in six months, or you might want to get 10% more conversions in this time.

This is something you will have already conveyed to your partners as the targets and through keeping track of how much of it is being accomplished, you will be able to see how well they are working for you.

Sometimes they will have difficulties absolutely hitting those targets, but it is important that they are not taking you for a ride and handing you various vanity metrics in lieu of actual results.

Digital marketing (like all marketing) is all about concrete results and your outsourced partners need to deliver those results.

That is why you are paying them.

Another part of taking care of the basics will be talking to them about the practices they have put in place and the strategies they are using to provide you with the results. You will probably be not an expert in digital marketing, but you can do some research and find out if they are doing the right things for you anyway.

The Need for Innovation

Digital marketing is a field that is always changing and there are always new strategies and tactics that may provide results for your company. Unfortunately, many digital marketing agencies get stuck in their ways and it takes them a while before they acknowledge these innovations and start applying them to their clients (i.e. you).

Because of this, you might want to check from time to time and find out whether they are staying in the loop and whether your company is benefitting from these new tactics and strategies that can boost your digital marketing efforts.

One of the more recent examples of this are virtual summits. Virtual summits are online conferences where you invite experts and influencers from a certain industry and let them share their views and insights.

Just as an example, if you run a B2B company that does account-based marketing, you can invite the leading experts in the field and let them give talks that you will then turn into podcasts that people can watch live or download later. You will ask for emails from the visitors and this way, you will be growing your email list in unprecedented ways. Navid Moazzez has a great guide on virtual summits and you will do well to check it out.

Ask your digital marketing agency is they have heard of this or any new tactics and you will find out how well they are staying in touch with what is happening in their industry. You cannot afford to pay someone whose practices are stuck in 2008.

What the Others Are Doing

Of course, you will also want to make sure that other agencies have not surpassed yours when it comes to their practices, prices and everything else. This is the same relationship you will have with any other supplier or outside partner. You need to make sure you are getting value for your money and the best way to go about this is to discover what others are doing for their clients.

You will probably know other business owners who are using other digital marketing agencies. Ask them about the services that their partners are providing them with and perhaps even try to find out how much they are paying.

Also, keep an eye on your competitors and make sure they are not rocketing past you when digital marketing is in question. If they are, the chances are your outsourced digital marketing agency is not doing as great a job as they think they are.

Closing Word

This is your company. This is your money. You cannot afford to be wasting money on an outsourced digital marketing partner that does not deliver results and lives three years in the past.